Party like it’s 1999: SoulCalibur VI review | Technobubble

SoulCalibur VI is like seeing that old friend from high school two decades later and finding out that said person looks even better than before. Of course, the question then becomes, “Is that person still nice on the inside?”

Every SoulCalibur fan is certainly familiar with the classic tagline about a series that transcends history and the world, a tale of souls and swords, eternally retold. It’s a saying that SoulCalibur VI literally takes to heart as it retells the story of the first SoulCalibur game, including parts of the ensuing sequels.

First released on arcades in 1998 with a Dreamcast port afterward, the original SoulCalibur was the follow-up to series granddaddy Soul Edge, which was also known as Soul Blade in western shores. While I loved the original Soul Edge, the first SoulCalibur on Dreamcast felt like a revelation — a masterpiece of a game that made it feel like the series had truly arrived.

SoulCalibur VI for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.(Photo: Bandai Namco)

I liked the first SoulCalibur so much that it vaulted over Tekken as my favorite Namco 3D fighter, and that’s coming from someone who played Tekken 2 and Tekken 3 to death. Even as newer and shinier versions of SoulCalibur were released over the years, none of them quite captured that same sense of excitement I felt when I first played the Dreamcast original. It was actually a feeling that I would be reminded of again when I started playing SoulCalibur VI.

As someone who didn’t read any previews or spoilers about SoulCalibur VI, I was completely unaware that this was a reboot or retelling of the original SoulCalibur and some of the subsequent games. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I started going through its Soul Chronicles campaign and realized I was reliving the story of Kilik, the protagonist who wields the sacred Kali Yuga staff. The timing was perfect, too. Back when I played the first Soul Calibur, I actually remember not liking Kilik that much. See, as a Mitsurugi fan, I admittedly felt a bit salty that my favorite character in the series was ceding the spotlight to the young newcomer.

Looking back now, I admittedly was being a bit silly. After going through Kilik’s new campaign, I started developing a new appreciation for the Ling-Sheng-Su disciple, as well as the horrors he had to go through due to the influence of Soul Edge’s evil seed. I also liked the fact that SoulCalibur VI had a robust campaign mode. At a time when some high-profile games have started nixing their campaigns, with Call of Duty Black Ops 4 being the latest to do so, SoulCalibur VI’s dedication to a full story mode is a much welcome feature indeed. In addition to the main storyline featuring Kilik, you can also jump into the individual stories of other fighters and see the game’s narrative unfold through their eyes. If you’re a player who likes campaigns or likes to enjoy your fighters without the apprehension of playing others online, there’s a lot for you to enjoy in SoulCalibur VI.

SoulCalibur VI for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

(Photo: Bandai Namco)

In addition to the Soul Chronicles campaign, for example, there is another story mode called Libra of Soul, which lets you experience the events of the game through an original character that you’ve created. In my case, I created a character inspired by the Legend of Zelda called Budget Link by using the initial scraps and gear available to me at the start of the game. It’s even funnier because I decided to use the Young Villager voice, which made my Budget Link sound like he’s totally afraid of dying. Ah, Budget Link, you beautiful mess of a hodgepodge character, you. Needless to say, the character editor is definitely a highlight of the game, allowing folks to create faithful and, at times, hilarious renditions of popular characters and real-life celebrities. I find myself just being both amused and amazed every time I cycle through the amazing creations made by the game’s community.

Gameplay, meanwhile, remains a lot of fun. As with previous games, you get your pick from a wide variety of fighters with their own unique weapons and fighting styles. These options range from short swords, samurai swords, broadswords, daggers, sword and shields, staffs, hammers, nunchucks and other implements of death and destruction. Styles also run the gamut from speedy fighters and all-rounder types all the way to slow but powerful brutes. For lovers of game crossovers, SoulCalibur VI also throws in everyone’s favorite Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, who enters the fray complete with English and Japanese voice acting. Folks who pay for the season pass also get several extra characters, including Nier: Automata’s Yorha No. 2 Type B or 2B for short. No offense to Geralt but the latter is the actually character is I’m looking forward to the most. Each of the different fighter styles work well within the base mechanics of the game, which rely on a mix of high, mid and low attacks as well as grabs and blocks that have advantages and disadvantages against each other. For mobility, you also have dashes and eight-way running at your disposal.

SoulCalibur VI for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

(Photo: Bandai Namco)

Folks who want to get even more technical can dive down the rabbit hole of SCVI’s mechanics. Pressing forward and block lets you pull off a Guard Impact move than can momentarily stun foes when done right. Whiff the timing, however, and you open yourself up to an enemy attack. You’ve also got staples such as Just Guard, which gives your fighter a frame advantage against your foe if you block an attack at the right time. For folks who aren’t quite as confident with their Just Guard timing, there’s a new option to SoulCalibur VI called Reversal Edge, which lets you do a reversal with just the press of a button. This then triggers a rock-paper-scissors struggle where picking the right move — horizontal attack, vertical attack, kick, sidestep or advancing evade — can let you counter your foe. Pick the wrong move, though, and your reversal gets, well, reversed by the enemy. Karma's a Witch ... er, I guess.

For offense, you’ve got Lethal Hits that give your attacks extra oomph. A Soul Charge, meanwhile, lets you power up or, in the case of characters like Kilik, transform with an accompanying boost to your offense as well as adding chip damage to your regular attacks. Then you’ve got supers known as Critical Edges, which let you damage foes in flashy fashion if they connect. All in all, the various mechanics of the game make SoulCalibur VI an enjoyable romp for folks who take the time to master them.

Admittedly, the game isn’t perfect. For folks who play the offline modes, the AI can be pretty brain dead and doesn’t provide much a challenge. The first time I went through Soul Chronicles mode, for example, I did not lose a single round despite not being familiar at all with the characters I had to use. This means you’ll need to go online if you want some semblance of a challenge. Also, while I appreciate the addition of a fleshed out story mode, the narrative can be hit or miss. Some parts seem drawn out, for example, only for the storytelling to suddenly feel rushed in certain places. The narrative certainly would have been better served with a bit more consistency with pacing. I also wish it had even more offline modes.

SoulCalibur VI for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

(Photo: Bandai Namco)

Despite all that, SoulCalibur VI still marks a nice return to form for the series. It doesn’t quite give me that same sense of excitement I felt when I first played the Dreamcast original. At the same time, this is the most excited I’ve felt about a Soul Calibur game in a long time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

SoulCalibur VI revisits the early years of the franchise with a wholly new re-imagining of the original SoulCalibur game for current-gen systems. The result is an excellent 3D fighter with a nice mix of modern gameplay as well as a good dose of nostalgia for longtime fans of the fighting series. Smarter AI and more offline modes would have been nice. Fluid gameplay and rock-solid mechanics, however, make this a great addition to the fighting game genre.